The Lucknow Sentinel, 1994-03-16, Page 4915;000 pieces of rural Ontario
Where would you find 15,000
pieces of rural Ontario's history
ranging from original rare barns to
Targe -scale implements to hand
crafted tools?
Included in this vast collection,
for example, is a special display of
prize winning quilts. These quilts
began their competitive life at the
local fair, then proceeded to vie at
the district annuals, until finally
culminating to Grand Champion at
the Ontario Association of Agricul-
tural Societies Convention. All are
works of artistic interpretation
created by individuals devoted to
assembling the perfect balance. of
design, color, and stitches.
These works, brought to life by
grand champion winners such as
Melinda Weber of Neustadt in
1983, Evelyn Bridge of Kincardine
in 1984, Shirley Grubb of Mildmay
in 1991, and Joanne Miller of Tara
in 1993, arc amongst the 16 who
share the spotlight of rural On-
tario's best quilts. Every year, these
respected quilts along with all the
other 15,000 artifacts, areviewed
by many thousands of visitors.
Where are these. provincial finds?
You'll discover them at the Ontario
Agricultural Museum.
The museum is located near Mil-
ton, just off Highway 401 and is
home to our past and home to our
future. It recalls the , story of
agriculture's beginnings some 200
years ago and traces the develop-
• ment and technologies that were
passed down from generation to
generation and explores the lives of
the people living in Ontario's rural
communities.
To help you visualize the
museum, imagine this:
* 80 acres (32 hectares) of outdoor
space with the scenic Niagara Es-
carpment as its backdrop;
* Over 3(1 buildings and exhibits
representing Ontario's rich rural
heritage fitted with artifacts;
* costumed staff demonstrating
activities of various time periods;
and, .
* livestock typical to Ontario farms
grazing in the fields..
Divided into three main sectors,
the museum represents the
evolution of , agriculture through
these areas: 1) Farmsteads which
recall life as it was in the 1830s
and 1860s; 2) a "Crossroads Com-
munity" which identifies the vital
services available to the people of
Ontario during the early 1900s; and
3) exhibits and displays which
compose a major portion of the
museum's collection.
The museum's pioneer, farmstead
of the 1830s recalls - this early
agricultural era through hand -cut
log barns, a simply built home, crop
gardens and a handful of farm
animals. Costumed staff assist in
interpreting this early agricultural
setting, making you feel as if it was
your turn to shoulder a yoke and
fetch water.
Further up the site,, perched atop
a hill, is the charming yellow and
brown painted Lucas Farmstead
bringing back the memories of
1860s farm life. Mrs. Lucas, cos-
tumed in a printed dress, welcomes
her visitors into her kitchen where
she routinely spends her days
cooking soup and preserving fruits
and , vegetables. She offers her
•turn to page 35
Farm Progress '94 -Page 33
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The Ontario Agricultural Museum quilt collection displays the best of rural Ontario. See these
spectacular quilts, plus many more, during Country Quilt Fest '94, Aug. 12 to 21
Sees shelters as low cost ,alternative
•from page 31
formance, arid developing specific
feeds to match the various season.
A central pig weighing station is
strategically located to ,allow
utilization of the feed weighing
station's electronic head for digital
read outs..
A large lagoon was built to hold
one year's liquid manure. Hogee-
vorst observes that most of the
liquid draining downthe central
alley was from rain or melting
snow, with Some wastage from the
. nipple drinkers as a contributor.
"The urine is basically either
evaporated or absorbed into the
straw," he says.
Summary of Performance
"We have 120 pigs left to ship,
from the 400 original," says Hoger-
vorst. "We monitored the larger
pigs (190 lbs.) and they grew an
average 2' lbs./day in January.
Actual feed conversion (60 to 227
lbs) 3.15 lbs. feed/lb. grown.
Days to market (60 to 227 lbs.)
108
Hogcrvorst is very enthusiastic
about this type of set-up. "Interest
is extremely high for use with
finishing hogs, dry sows and cal-
ves," he says.
"We have been taught that we
have to have expensive barns for
production, but with this facility we.
aim to show producers what they
can expect from a low-cost, alter-
native method," says Hogervorst.
The research facility is open to..
visitors by appointment. Call 519-
528-2402. Hogervorst is the Eastern
Canada distributor for the shelters.
ECON
Pasture Farrowing Huts
And Shelters by Port -A -Hut
*Portable ,
*Long lasting galvanized
Steel •
*Large shelters.come in
multiples of T lengths
(ie. 7', 14'; 21', 28')
*Easy to assemble
*Cool in summer -
Warm in winter
*Full door. available
Ideal for:
Horse, Sheep, Calves,
.Pigs, Sows, Poultry and
other small animals.
*Storage
*Garage
OSH ELTERS
Box 88 Luckno
w NOG 2H0 = Ben 528-2402